At the fertility center, I always see women waiting in line for ultrasound ovulation monitoring, and when I talk to the doctor after the monitoring, some of them ask, “Doctor, don’t I need to take progesterone after I ovulate? I see the person in front of me you let her take it.” So, should you take progesterone after ovulation or not? For those of you who read our subscription number regularly, you must be familiar with the matter of female menstruation and ovulation. The female menstrual cycle is divided into the menstrual phase, follicular phase and luteal phase. The luteal phase is the period after ovulation and before menstruation. The corpus luteum is formed when the cells remaining in the ovary after ovulation are transformed by the action of luteinizing hormone (LH), which secretes progesterone and estrogen. Progesterone is important because it converts the endometrium from the proliferative phase to the secretory phase, so that endometrial development is synchronized with embryonic development and becomes suitable for embryo implantation. If the corpus luteum does not function adequately (insufficient progesterone production), it affects the transformation of the endometrium, which in turn affects embryo implantation. After successful embryo implantation, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is secreted to transform the menstrual corpus luteum into the corpus luteum of pregnancy, which continues to secrete progesterone to support pregnancy. Whether or not to take progesterone after ovulation depends on the soundness of one’s corpus luteum function and whether it can secrete enough progesterone. During the ovulation monitoring process, depending on the specific situation, we will measure the estrogen, progesterone and LH levels in the body during ovulation, where the estrogen level combined with the follicle diameter, LH and progesterone can assist in assessing the follicle quality to a certain extent. Ovulation promotion therapy. If the quality of the follicles is good, there is no need for additional progesterone supplementation, just trust your luteal function. In the process of ovulation promotion, the ovulatory drugs used may damage the function of the corpus luteum to a greater or lesser extent, so progesterone supplementation is also recommended after ovulation. If ovulation monitoring is not done, how can I tell if I need progesterone supplementation? Women with luteal insufficiency often show shortened menstrual cycles, are less likely to get pregnant or are prone to early pregnancy miscarriage after pregnancy. If you have these manifestations, you may consider visiting a doctor for further tests to clarify whether these conditions are related to luteal insufficiency before further treatment. If you have fertility requirements, by reading the above article, you should generally understand whether you need progesterone supplementation after ovulation. If you do not have fertility requirements, and you have regular menstrual cycles but have incomplete menstruation or excessive menstrual flow, taking progesterone after ovulation is also a treatment option.